


That's What Friends Are For

by jaekayelle



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-02
Updated: 2012-11-02
Packaged: 2017-11-17 14:53:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/552776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaekayelle/pseuds/jaekayelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Feliciano Lopez is in the right place at the wrong time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That's What Friends Are For

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't the foggiest clue as to what Feli's personality is like. I hope I got him right. My apologies to his fans if I didn't.

As Feli left his hotel room he heard the door to Rafa's room open. Perfect timing, he thought. 

“Rafa! Want to go to breakfast with me?” 

Just when he spoke those words Roger Federer stepped out into the hallway. Feli was momentarily confused. Wasn't that Rafa's room? He walked closer and clearly saw Rafa standing behind Roger. Then Feli's brain caught up with his eyes. Rafa had wet hair, Roger's was messier than usual, and both men were staring back at him wide-eyed with guilt. They had the look of two men who had spent the night together. 

“Oh.”

Rafa slipped around Roger, who seemed rooted to the spot, and grabbed Feli by the arm. Finding himself hauled inside the room, he had no option but to let it happen. Rafa was very strong, especially when motivated by...what? Anger? Fear? There was definitely some fear going on. Federer looked terrified, an emotion Feli was shocked to witness on the normally controlled face. He found himself reaching out to the other man, but Rafa was still pulling and then he was standing in the middle of the room, with Rafa glaring at him.

“What you do?” Rafa demanded in Spanish.

“What did I do? Nothing! I came out of my room and when I heard your door open I asked if you wanted to go to breakfast with me. Then,” he gestured wildly towards Roger, “he was there and you were attacking me.”

“I did not attack you! You cannot, we...” Suddenly Rafa subsided and just stared at him. Then he turned to Federer, so Feli looked in that direction as well. Roger was standing nearby. He looked very tall and stern now, a hundred times the champion he was and the man Feli admired. He did not look like someone who was having an affair with his very male friend. 

“Feliciano,” he said slowly. “You must forget what you saw. Please?” 

Simply put, so how could Feli refuse? Besides, his friend Rafa was involved in this very much. He was not heartless. 

“Nando and I sometimes seek each other for release. I understand these things. I know how it is.”

Federer regarded him with a slightly bemused expression. Then it cleared and he said, “I didn't know that, about Fernando and you.”

“So you hold a secret of mine and I have one of yours. We respect each other.”

Federer nodded. “I do respect you.”

“It's mutual.” 

“I guess I don't have to ask if you'll protect Rafa.”

Feli turned to Rafa, who was frowning very hard and chewing on his thumbnail. “You don't have to ask, but I'll answer you anyway. Rafael is my best friend, well, after Nando and Ferru.” Rafa frowned even harder at that statement. “But I do love him as a best friend. I will protect him and I will protect you, because you are important to him and I admire you. I see nothing wrong here today.”

Federer flicked his gaze towards Rafa. Some silent communing passed between the two of them, before he said, “Thank you, Feli.”

“You are welcome, Roger.” 

Glancing at Rafa, Roger said, “I wish we could breakfast together, Feli, but I have to go.” 

He hesitated, and glanced quickly at Feli, before moving closer to Rafa so that he half-shielded him from Feli's view. It was when he leaned towards Rafa that Feli realized what was about to happen so he turned his back to them, but stole a quick look in time to see Roger and Rafa meet in a clinging kiss, their arms going around each other. Feli quickly turned away again. 

Roger nodded to him as he walked past his face flushed, whether from embarrassment or something else, Feli did not know. There were traces of fear still lingering in his eyes. He opened the door and was very careful this time to look up and down the hallway before going out.

The door closed behind Roger. 

Feli stared at it. 

“So this is more than quick release for you two?” he said nonchalantly, before slowly turning to regard Rafa. 

His friend walked to the bed and threw himself down on it, covering his face with his hands and growling into them. 

Feli sat on the edge of the mattress. 

“Rafa?” 

“Si.” It came out as a sigh.

“Do you love him?”

There was a lengthy pause, and then, “Si.” A whisper of a response.

“How does he feel about you?”

Another pause. 

Feli poked Rafa in the leg closest to him. 

“I think...yes, maybe. I don't know. We don't talk of such things. He's married! He loves his wife.”

“It's a mess,” Feli pronounced.

“Si.” Another sigh.

Feli flopped down beside Rafa, resting his clasped hands on his stomach. “If it makes you feel any better, I think he loves you too.”

Rafa sat straight up and turned to look at him. “Why you say that?” he asked in English. 

Feli sat up beside him. “He was blushing when he left.” Feli replied in Spanish. “Kind of a feverish heat like something was stirring him up and I think that something was you.” 

“He was embarrassed,” Rafa said mournfully. 

“A little,” Feli agreed. “But he was frightened too. I am his fan. I watch him on court every chance I get. I do not imagine a man who plays the way he does, his demeanour on court, would risk his marriage and his reputation for a quick fuck every now and then from his greatest rival. He has the fire, always banked, but he only takes risks in his game. His emotions are held tight, close. Now maybe you are the exception to his rules, but somehow I don't think that he would let your affair keep going if he was only in it for the sex. Why risk a homosexual scandal? It would destroy him. It would destroy you, as well, and one thing I know for sure is that Roger Federer is a kind man. He wouldn't allow that to happen to you.”

Rafa was staring at him with huge eyes. 

“He must love you, my friend.” 

Rafa swallowed hard. Feli could see the muscles of his throat working. Finally he nodded. 

“Thank you, Feli. Maybe I need to talk to him about this?”

Laughing, Feli said, “Do it before you give him a blow job. A man would agree to anything in such a situation.”

“You're terrible!” 

“And this is a surprise to you? Come on. Let's go have breakfast.” Glancing around at the piles of clothes and general disorder he commented, “The maid will be disgusted at the state of your room.”

“Si. Every time. My things just sort of explode all over.” 

“A messy room is a sign of greatness.”

Rafa laughed. “That's ridiculous!”

“You're ridiculous,” Feli replied, teasing him.

“No, you are!”

They argued their way out the door. 

# end


End file.
